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INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

The Filson Lightweight Duffle (70314) is basically a lighter, thinner version of the classic Filson 220 Small Duffle. The dimensions (18″ x 10″ x 11″), handles and pocket layout are exactly the same. If you like the small duffle in classic twill, you will like this bag; however, if you are not a fan of the minimalist design of the classic duffle, then this bag will not change your mind.

I happen to love the classic twill duffle and find it to be an excellent travel piece, so when Filson released a much lighter nylon version I placed my order immediately.

BUILD QUALITY

When I first unpacked this bag, I thought “wow, this thing is even lighter and thinner than I expected.” But is that a good thing?

If you look closely, the attention to detail in the stitching and the quality of the leather is top notch. There are no loose threads to trim (as there typically are on the twill bags), high stress areas are bar tacked and the fit-and-finish is very precise.

The fabric is a 12 oz. water-resistant nylon and has a very nice semi-matte textured finish on the outside. The underside of the fabric (as you can see in the photo of the rain flap) is softer to the touch and lighter in appearance.

While, the nylon feels very nice to the touch, and the bag is considerably lighter than its twill counterpart, I am curious why Filson did not source its fabric from a well-known nylon manufacturer, like Cordura. As nice as this fabric is, it does feel a bit under-matched to the heavy leather bridle trim, causing the bag to feel very floppy when empty.

In these pictures you can see just how thin the nylon (green) is, compared to the classic twill (tan)…

Filson stands behind its products, so I would not be overly concerned about the longevity of the bag; however, this is an entirely new fabric for Filson and the long-term wearability has yet to be fully proven.

This bag also comes with Filson’s leather trimmed nylon shoulder strap, which I actually prefer to the bridle leather. It does not need to be broken in and it distributes the weight very well across your shoulder. In fact, I use this strap on my other Filson bags now and I highly recommend it.

SHOULD YOU BUY NYLON OR TWILL?

This is a fantastic bag with excellent build quality. It is a great option for city dwellers that want the Filson aesthetic without all the additional weight of the classic twill; it would also make a great travel bag for weekend car trips.

However, as good as this bag is, I prefer (and would recommend) the 22oz. twill version. For airline travel, outdoor adventures and rougher handling, the 22oz. rugged twill is much better suited to the task. In addition, the twill bags will acquire a wonderful patina over time that this bag simply will not.

Another thing to keep in mind…the rugged twill duffle only costs $20 more than the nylon version and (in my opinion) offers a lot more value for the money.

BOTTOM LINE

If you are looking for a modern interpretation of a Filson classic for lighter tasks, then this bag may fit the bill. However, if you are looking for a Filson bag that better embodies the rugged, adventurer spirit that the brand is known for, stick with the classic twill.

Over the last couple years, Filson has been very busy introducing a lot of new styles and fabrics to their classic line of travel and work bags.

For quite a long time, the choice were fairly easy…decide whether you wanted a 256 Original Briefcase or a 257 as your daily bag and then choose either a 220 Small Duffle or a 246 Medium Travel Bag for travel and you were all set.

But now…the choices are almost overwhelming. We have great new fabric options, including 15 oz Oil-finished Tin Cloth and the new Lightweight Nylon collection, as well as a bunch of new styles, like the 72-hour Briefcase, the new Outfitter Bag and the redesigned Sportsman.

As I have been researching all the new offerings, I am starting to notice how difficult it is to find reviews of all this new gear. So, here is the deal…I am back to help provide you guys some needed clarity when choosing the next Filson bag(s) to add to your growing collections.

Filson 220 vs Filson 70314

This month, I will be posting a comprehensive review of the new Lightweight Nylon Duffle (#70314) in the “Duffle Bag Showdown,” in which I will be comparing it to the classic 220 Rugged Twill Duffle.

Stay tuned in the coming months for the following reviews and comparison tests:

72-Hour Briefcase (Tin Cloth) – – The Perfect Briefcase?

Briefcase Showdown II (256 Original vs 72-Hour Tin)

The Journeyman Backpack Review

Cloth Showdown – – Twill vs. Tin vs. Lightweight Nylon

Reinventing an Icon Lightweight Nylon (Duffles)

Strap Showdown – – Bridle Leather vs New Nylon

How to Properly Break In a Leather Strap and Shoulder Pad

The Magnum Photography Collaboration (Harvey Line)

As you can see, we have some exciting stuff planned and I look forward to reading your comments and answering your questions!

Happy New Year to all my faithful readers! It has been a busy holiday season, but now it is time to get back to business. For the first post of 2013, I thought I would share an alternate use that I recently discovered for my Filson 257 Briefcase Computer Bag.

As I stated in my earlier review, for many people the Filson 257 is a little too large to carry everyday (unless you have a unique situation that requires the extra room). However, in addition to a briefcase, I think it makes a great carry-on bag too.

I am known by friends and family to be a very light packer (and a borderline minimalist), but my travel philosophy is always focused on packing only the essentials and trimming clutter when at all possible. As you can see from the picture (taken after unpacking from a recent trip), I was able to fit the following items into my Filson 257…

Packing Cube*

MacBook Air

Kindle Touch

Nalgene 16 oz water bottles (x2)

Beats Audio Headphones

A hardback book, a legal pad and some pens

*I am easily able to fit two casual outfits, two pairs of underwear and socks, as well as a few toiletry items into the Eagle Creek packing cube by rolling my clothes.

Granted, not everyone can get away with packing this light, but this system works remarkably well for me on short getaways. The Filson 257 has just enough internal organization, coupled with a spacious main compartment to fill this role quite well.

This bag now serves a dual role in my Filson collection (as both a daily-use bag and as a carry-on bag), which makes the cost ($275 USD) much easier to justify for those on a budget.

Bottom Line: don’t think of the Filson 257 as merely a briefcase. It is a versatile chameleon in the Filson lineup.